During the 2014 winter holidays, consumers spent over $600 billion accounting for nearly 20% of most merchants’ retail sales for the year. Each person spent an average of $730 on food, gifts, decorations, and more, and for most of those purchases, they used a debit or credit card.

This holiday season, financial institutions are asking, “How do we make our clients choose our credit or debit card for all of those purchases?”

Here are eight ways to make your card rise to the top of your users’ wallets this year.

P.S. We hereby ask your forgiveness for talking about holiday shopping so soon!

When most credit cards offer enticing rewards, how can community banks and credit unions ensure that their cards get used?

Community banks and credit unions often complain, “Our clients have our card, but they don’t use it.” While your customers may have your card in their wallets, they are savvy about their payment options. They know they have a choice, and they tend to prefer to use cards that offer the best benefits.

Companies like Buzzpoints, TruAccess (from MasterCard), Mogl, Edo, and BaZing (from StrategyCorp) all offer forms of free loyalty programs. These programs drive transactions with national merchants, and theoretically, your financial institution benefits by helping your users save money, and you earn interchange revenue. It sounds logical, but here's what really happens.Consumer adoption of these free programs is very low. In fact, adoption rates rarely get above 5%. However, even though uptake is so low, the platforms and merchants still make money – and most financial institutions do not. How can that be?!

Businesses like yours are common in today’s marketplace. No offense, but your members may think of you as “just a bank,” “just a credit union,” or “just a commodity with nothing unique to offer.” Ugh.

If you are viewed as just another _______ [fill in the blank], then you're in a precarious position, subject to the whims of your customers, and an easy target for competitors. All they have to do is offer a slightly better deal or a new value-added benefit, and presto change-o, your potential and current customers are heading in their direction.

A 2014 study by Ernst and Young asked 32,000 consumers, "What would you be willing to do if your bank or credit union offered a better experience?" Larky Intelligence shares the answers in this informative infographic.

Discounts at the wrong time - Some discount programs are “after the fact.” Customers get rewards, points, or discounts on future purchases after they make a purchase. That means they have to remember to use the discounts later.

Discounts in the wrong place - Some programs notify people about discounts when those people are in bed trying to catch some Zzz’s, driving down the highway, slaving over a project at the office, or far away on vacation. If the discount notification comes at the wrong time, it’s likely to be ignored or forgotten.

Discounts that are hard to attain - Some programs require participants to “earn” their discounts – “Spend $10,000 > Get a space-age toaster oven.” Customers have to meet a spending threshold to feel the benefit. Otherwise, they don’t get that nifty oven.

Discounts that require a change in behavior - Some programs require that people swipe a special card, manage coupons, or show a toggle on their key ring. Without the card, coupon, or toggle, they might not get the discount. And all those darn loyalty cards make for a very fat wallet!

Larky's Team is hitting the road this fall to talk with innovative financial institutions about how to delight customers AND boost the bottom line. Yes, you can do both at the same time. Larky's point-of-sale instant discount platform helps your customers save $1,000+ per year and keeps your institution top of wallet.

SAN FRANCISCO -- I want to show you three of my go-to shopping apps that pull together price comparisons, credit card points and discounts programs I have signed up for over the years. If you use these three you are going to save money.